Kire was surprised to find that Envy was the first to meet them. “Wait—uh, alright.” She stood awkwardly for a moment in front of the Kartaian, gauging his mood, before she stepped closer. “Where can we talk?” 
	Following him, Kire thought through what needed explaining first. “We were in the middle of a battle,” she began, and then she went on to explain the rest: how the Gemini had tried a last-ditch effort to turn the tide of battle and buy time for their allied lords to attempt a retreat, how she had stretched herself to her limit to get Narda and her soldiers to safety, resulting in the injury to her right hand and her sudden, unintended jump to his world and back with Ruli in tow. She left out the explanation behind why her portal had directed her to Ruli, hoping the elf would accept that it was merely an accident with the portal.
	“We’re gathering for a war council in two days’ time, and last night my cousins and Ruli had talked about a strategy to retake the Capital.” Kire paused, looking around. “Might be best to explain the whole thing when Ruli, Ysaryn, and Gavin are here, but it involves laying down a whole ward around the Palace grounds to negate the Gemini magic within. Ruli had suggested both my blood and Gavin’s would be needed, but we figured it would be prudent to ask you about it first.” 
	
Kire looked up at the Kartaian. “I know that’s a lot. I’m sorry for suddenly laying all this on all of you after six months of absence. It’s been a rather rough time.”
	“Oy!” Gavin called, rushing towards them. “I felt the wards and—Kire?” 
	Kire nodded in greeting. “In the flesh.”
	“Ah. Guess that explains the ‘who’ part of the mystery,” he said, scratching his head. “I guess this means Ruli’s here somewhere, eh?” 
	“Mmhmm.” She glanced at Envy again. “Can he join us when we discuss the details?”
	Gavin cocked his head, curious.